This building includes "exhibition space, theatre, music school, café / restaurant, library, dance school, plastic art workshops, multipurpose room and a playroom. All these areas are connected by interstices of public spaces; corridors, passageways and halls replicated as open galleries permitting temporary open exhibitions". "[A]imed at revitalizing the city center through the introduction of cultural facilities and services with the intent to meet the most urgent social needs of a predominantly low-income population that has long been marginalized from the social investment policies by the State."

Librarians make libraries “loveable!” (Photo submitted by Carole Mondin, then at American International School of Lagos, Nigeria)

It speaks volumes when the man in charge of the world’s fourth-biggest public library insists digital technologies are an opportunity rather than a threat to libraries. In an interview with Forbes Magazine, Anthony W Marx, president of New York Public Library, countered fears that they were dying:

There are people who think that the Digital Age is a mortal threat to the library. I think it’s the greatest opportunity in the history of libraries, and that means that this institution of huge scale and beloved by millions of people is also at a moment of revitalizing itself fundamentally. In my line of work, that’s an unbeatable combination.

In truth, libraries and librarians have fundamentally changed but not everyone has noticed. Those with the privilege of internet access have the ability to find every sort of information offered on the web. Much of modern global culture has been captured into bits and bytes of data, then packaged for consumption to suit every preference. The internet in these ways seems very similar to a library, or at least a repository of information, distributed on a global scale but accessed locally. However, the presence of the internet has obscured the library, making many unaware of how it has evolved, what makes it different, and why it is so important to co-exist with the internet.

Dr Marx points out this distinction:

The library is misunderstood as a repository of books. The library is a repository of information, and a sharing, and providing of access to information, and guide to using it.

Many librarians see collaboration as the most impactful aspect of their work. The internet is no doubt a giant resource, but it does not guide creativity and understanding—it is designed to reflect preferences rather than needs. Algorithms, bots and social media tracking filter and package information based on searches but they do not highlight information that helps us to learn and grow in understanding. Humans still need to research, analyze, and ultimately decide on complex, difficult issues. Internet sources are not usually designed to assist in doing these things. In fact, they can negatively affect our judgment and restrict what we do depending on how the information is packaged.

Storyhouse is Chester’s brand new £37m theatre, library, restaurant and cinema. The restored and revitalised 1930s Odeon building houses an 800-seat auditorium, a 150-seat studio theatre, a restaurant and two bars plus a 100-seat boutique, independent cinema. Alongside the building, Storyhouse run a series of festivals as well as Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre and Moonlight Flicks.

By Ayub Khan Perspective There is a widely held perception that British public libraries are in decline and that the proliferation of online services and continuing financial pressures are proving too much. Similarly, people think that new library buildings are rarer than giant pandas. Neither is in fact the case. Media coverage over recent years…

Completed in 2014 in Santa Monica, United States. Images by Eric Staudenmaier. Conceived as a community living room, this branch library engages its park setting to encourage the use of an educational resource in

Doug Mirams's insight:

Another public library which embraces the term "community living room" has been integrated into its park surroundings and community,

"The library’s siting preserves existing green space while repurposing underutilized space to activate the park's event plaza. On Saturdays the front door opens to the edge of the local Farmers Market, creating a resonance around which librarians have developed programs about food and health. The building jumps a fire lane to the west to find space for a community room and amphitheater, further engaging existing buildings that offer programs for teens, children, job seekers and seniors. A photovoltaic canopy spans the fire lane, offsetting carbon footprint while enhancing walkability."

Discovery of the day: #defensiveTO, a site about documenting defensive urban (hostile architecture) design in the Greater Toronto Area by @CaraChellew . She is showing the ugly side of urban life, continuing the work of Holly Whyte and the advocacy of Project for Public Spaces. I'm a new fan

Incheon opened its first Braille library in Nam-gu last month. More than 13,000 blind people live in Incheon, accounting for 10 percent of registered disabled people in the city. The district government spent 2.1 billion won ($1.93 million) establishing the three-story, 766-square-meter building. It has 3,673 books in Braille and 18,000 other books. The library also transcribes books into Braille using a Braillo 400SR machine. Once the books are in Braille, they are also made into audio books.

Do you like graphic novels or comic books? Are you interested in learning to code? If you answered, yes, then you'll love Dystopia 2153! This brand new, three-episode series teaches kids the basics of coding through a digital graphic novel. It connects 21st Century skills with the love of reading. Use code to solve puzzles that help the characters overcome obstacles and escape their dystopian world.

Jana Lukcova has designed BLOK 3/1, a piece of multi-functional furniture that can be used as a chair, a side table or stacked to become a bookshelf.

Doug Mirams's insight:

All public libraries are being challenged for space. Space for collections, space for promotions, space for clients. This modular system allows for flexibility, easily being converted from bookshelf to table to chair.

In his recent piece on Alberto Ibargüen, David Callahan dubbed the Knight Foundation’s long-serving CEO and president "The Futurist" for good reason. The foundation has been working for years to help key institutions in U.S. society navigate an age of disruption.

Callahan also noted that Ibargüen wanted to move the foundation beyond its constant experimentation and start doubling down on the stuff that "really worked." If the past year is any indication, Ibargüen has been true to his word. Knight has been active in identifying "stuff that works" across several areas—including libraries, an American institution beloved in theory and embattled in practice.

In June 2016, the foundation announced the winners of its News Challenge on Libraries, which posed the question, "How might libraries serve 21st-century information needs?" The eclectic mix of grantees offered a range of possible ideas.

Related: What Should 21st Century Libraries Look Like? Here are Fourteen Answers.

Knight has also been keen to connect American libraries with trends worldwide. Earlier this year, the foundation sent a cohort of U.S. librarians to the Next Library Conference, an annual gathering held in Aarhus, Denmark, that brings together global leaders to "spread best practices in library innovation, while helping libraries' capacity to meet new digital age demands."

As more and more millennials are enrolled in virtual higher education opportunities not tied to university campuses, the public library is a central site of learning and innovation.

Doug Mirams's insight:

Thoughtful review of university libraries re-positioning their mission to connections (and learning) from collections. Optimistic original title "Golden Age of Libraries" is from a quote by Michael Ridley (http://www.beyondliteracy.com/) which was edited out of its original context, which I have restored here.

I’m always trying to maximize what happens during library orientation each year. This year, I asked myself what I really hoped students experienced on their very first visit. Yes, there are many expectations and rules I could go over, but what message do I send if that’s how I spend our time on day 1. Instead, I wanted to focus on the power of reading and give students time to explore the genres of the library.

Initiated in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2000, the Human Library Movement has expanded to around 80 countries. It has now reached India with its concept of replacing normal books with 'living books' that see individuals sharing their personal stories.

Doug Mirams's insight:

“I liked the idea and began work to set up the Human library in Hyderabad. The goal of this event-based programme is to help people appreciate each others’ differences, understand social barriers by listening and relating to their experiences.”

Aboriginal Storytelling Month Public · Hosted by Regina Public Library...

Doug Mirams's insight:

Regina Public Library is finishing up a month of Indigenous storytelling each Monday and Thursday night in February. They featured different musicians, storytellers, artists and elders in their main floor tipi.

If you live near Lacewood Drive, you’ve probably been to the Keshen Goodman Public Library. If you have been to the Canada Games Centre, you’ve definitely seen it. Soon, it will be better than ever. Like the Dartmouth North Public Library, Keshen Goodman is on the cusp of gaining a new outdoor space.

Doug Mirams's insight:

“We at the library are very excited. There are so many opportunities for staff to do new and interesting things, for the public to try new things. We are a very busy location, so the opportunity to have people go outside in a really great area frees up some new space inside.”

Breakerspace. Toy Takeapart. Break & Make, Appliance Autopsy, and Deconstruction Station. Whatever you call it, a breakerspace provides students with toys, electronics, or appliances and lets them carefully take things apart to see what makes them tick.

Tale of 2 polls: What do librarians have that journalists don’t?BY DAVID BEARD · JANUARY 19, 2018

America’s journalists, relentlessly attacked by President Trump, are also taking a beating in public opinion. However, their information-gathering cousins, librarians, are riding a cloud of popularity.

Is there something journalists can learn from librarians?The Knight Foundation and Gallup gave the latest bad news to journalists on Wednesday, weighing in a mammoth poll showing only 33 percent of Americans have a positive view of the news media. Of 18- to 29-year-olds polled, only 22 percent trust the media.

By huge majorities, Americans see major problems with:Owners of news outlets attempting to influence the ways stories are reported.News organizations being too dramatic or too sensational in order to attract more readers or viewers.Too much bias in the reporting of news stories that are supposed to be objective (only 44 percent can think of a news source that they believe reports the news objectively).

Can a library be the perfect place for personalized learning? We believe the answer is yes. Libraries offer endless resources, space for learning, and individuals who are ready to assist students in the learning and research process. Sometimes when professors’ office hours do not line up with students’ schedules, we often forget, that librarians are here to help us too! That’s why we have libraries and librarians! Even if we think it is intimidating to approach a librarian, it should not be, because they are the experts in libraries! Not only are librarians available to assist us, but they are also available to teach us how to use the resources that the library has to offer.

G280 Studio have created TONITURE, a children's furniture line designed to spark a child's imagination as they build the pieces themselves.

Doug Mirams's insight:

What a great addition to a Children's library to support STEM and creativity. Innovative furnishings and materials should be supported and highlighted by libraries as much as technologies like 3d printers and personal devices.

Completed in 2017 in United States. IKD’s proposal for the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library plaza, titled Conversation Plinth, pays homage to J Irwin Miller and aims to celebrate the community of Columbus.

Doug Mirams's insight:

Having just completed a project at my own branch which uses a wonderful curved bench, this proposal for the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library plaza in Columbus IN speaks to me on so many levels. It pays tribute to the past, echoing the "conversation pit" in the architecturally significant Miller House and the plinths of nearby buildings (like the I.M. Pei library). It gives it's community a lively and interactive community space, while celebrating public art. And it highlights new manufacturing uses for locally sourced Indiana hardwood through cross laminated timber or CLT. Yes, it looks great also.

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